About Us

Rungu is a brand under Standard Bearer Machines, LLC – A family business based in San Clemente, California, USA. Peter Godlewski and his dad, Voytek, started Standard Bearer Machines, LLC in 2010 to develop new consumer and industrial products – Rungu trikes is their first product line to be commercially viable.

Surfing gave birth to Rungu

The Rungu Trike started out as an answer to a local problem “how best to transport surfboards to the beach?” Peter and his family live close to the world-famous Trestles surf break, and when time permits, Peter surfs. Getting surf gear (boards, wetsuits, etc.) to the beach is a chore for all local and visiting surfers. The best surf breaks are between one and two miles from the nearest parking lot or drop-off point, and on most days, the park system restricts access to walking, skating, or biking the distance on road, then path, then soft sand. On a bike (the fastest way to get to the beach), riding the road and path are easy. When we hit soft sand on a bike, we wash out and get stuck, having to walk and push the bike.

The pick-up truck of bicycles

The Rungu Trike evolved to be the 4×4 pick-up truck of bicycles designed to conquer soft sand. Fat-tire bicycles have limited success on soft sand – the fat tires float on soft sand, but to avoid a wash-out (falling when turning) in soft sand requires skill. Add your surf gear, and you’re back to pushing your fat-tire bike through the sand. The Rungu Trike addressed the stability and turning problem by using two front wheels – one wheel is always on the inside of the turning radius, avoiding a wash-out. Adding electric power made the pedaling much easier.

An alternative for the balance-challenged

The added stability of a trike with two front wheels also appeals to the balance-challenged. In the United States, millions of adults have chronic balance problems. The Rungu Trike gives a little added stability without compromising the ability to bank into a turn (unlike an ATV) giving individuals that fear the stability of a two-wheeler the ability to ride a “bike” again.

A family business

Standard Bearer Machines, LLC continues to be a family business committed to quality and customer care. Cathy, Peter’s wife, runs Rungu sales. Their daughters act as occasional trike assemblers, photographers and video actors. Standard Bearer Machines, LLC cooperates with Aleoca (a Singapore Bicycle Manufacturer) to build trike frames. We source the electrical components from Hi-Power Cycles, another California family business. Quality-control and final test occurs on all products prior to shipment from the company factory in Lake Forest, CA.